Book Description
“Like most people I didn’t meet Rant Casey until after he was dead. That’s how it works for most celebrities: After they croak, their circle of friends just explodes.…”
Rant is the mind-bending new novel from Chuck Palahniuk, the literary provocateur responsible for such books as the generation-defining classic Fight Club and the pedal-to-the-metal horrorfest Haunted. It takes the form of an oral history of one Buster “Rant” Casey, who may or may not be the most efficient serial killer of our time.
“What ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon was to typhoid, what Gaetan Dugas was to AIDS, and Liu Jian-lun was to SARS, Buster Casey would become for rabies.”
A high school rebel who always wins (and a childhood murderer?), Rant Casey escapes from his small hometown of Middleton for the big city. He becomes the leader of an urban demolition derby called Party Crashing. On appointed nights participants recognize one another by such designated car markings as “Just Married” toothpaste graffiti and then stalk and crash into each other. Rant Casey will die a spectacular highway death, after which his friends gather testimony needed to build an oral history of his short, violent life. Their collected anecdotes explore the possibility that his saliva caused a silent urban plague of rabies and that he found a way to escape the prison house of linear time.…
“The future you have, tomorrow, won’t be the same future you had, yesterday.”
—Rant Casey
Expect hilarity, horror, and blazing insight into the desperate and surreal contemporary human condition as only Chuck Palahniuk can deliver it. He's the postmillennial Jonathan Swift, the visionary to watch to learn what's —uh-oh—coming next.
Customer Reviews:
Liked it!.......2007-09-22
I've read just about all of Chuck's stuff (I think Fight Club is my only exception as far as his novels go -- just have trouble reading a book once I've seen the film). I count Invisible Monsters as one of my all-time favorite books. I wasn't quite as big a fan of some of his books (Lullaby did nothing for me, Diary left me wanting too much more, and Haunted had its ups and down -- which I guess is to be expected from a bunch of connected short stories).
Rant ranks up there as one of my favorite Palahniuk novels. I thought I'd get tired of the "oral history" style, but it actually worked well with this piece. (That being said, I don't think I need to see Chuck or any other fiction authors immediately try the same format again -- it worked well for this story, but I'm not so sure that it would carry over to any book.) The characters were interesting (a few could have been a bit deeper), some of the situations (particularly before Rant leaves his hometown) were CLASSIC Palahniuk, and the ending was a total mind-****, which I like...
... though, as I admit in a discussion thread here on the Amazon listing, I'm not quite sure I *got* everything, thanks to this mind-****. That's not a complaint from my perspective, but if you're looking for a book that is 100% linear, easy to follow and requires no between-the-lines thinking, this might not be for you. If, however, you like other Palahniuk books and/or you like humor that's half-absurd/half-disturbing mixed with Mulholland Drive/Donnie Darko-style plotting, this book might be for you.
Upchuck.......2007-09-19
This book was tedious, unexciting, and unprovoking. Part of the story was bout Party Crashers, people who like to crash vehicles. This portion of the story is very intricate. The story is written as a documentary so hundreds of people are interviewed. Sometimes a interviewed person only has a couple of lines to say. The strangest people are interviewed and they reveal nothing significant about the subject, Rant Casey. By the end of the book, Rant Casey is still not indentifiable. All the reader knows is that he liked being bitten up by poisonous snakes and spiders. He liked spreading rabbies. He liked giving out old coins to people like if they were pennies. It's a pointless book. Everything that's said is useless.
Far out........2007-09-17
Well I have to thank reviewer Mark Emirite for clearing up what I just read. Until I read his reveiw I was clueless. Even though I didn't figure out the destination , the ride there was awesome. Once again, chuck sucks us in to a unique world and leaves us speechless and sometimes dumbstruck when it's all over. Thanks Palahniuk, it's always a treat to leave this world behind for a few hours and live in yours!
The title says it all..........2007-09-16
This was an enjoyable book. I feel that the ending was slightly anti-climatic, and the plot was mildly confusing. But, as an oral biography, it was expected to run into these issues to some degree.
Worth a read, but as far as buying it goes, it's hard to reccomend without some reservations.
BORE...BORe...BOre...Bore...bore..........2007-09-03
The worst sin of any artist is to be boring. Reruns are boring. Recycled subplots are boring. Chuck needs to spend more time writing and re-writing and less time pumping the "Cult" and thinking about films that may or may not be completed.
Book Description
"We want people to listen to us. . . . Focus group interviewing is about listening. It is about paying attention. . . . being nonjudgmental. . . .When used appropriately, the process improves listening and the results can be used to benefit the people who shared the information. And people go away feeling good about having been heard."
--Richard A. Krueger & Mary Anne Casey, from the Preface
This highly acclaimed book in its third edition includes the following updates and improvements:
- Vignettes drawn from small and large focus groups that illustrate problems that come up and effective ways to resolve the issues.
- Designing questions for asking effective questions to draw out a group and how to refine them based on the group’s responses.
- Collaborative Approach updated to address the latest ways to implement the empowerment and action research.
- Budgeting how to more effectively budget for a focus group
- Coding how to more effectively use existing software packages to code and analyze the results of a focus group.
Customer Reviews:
Review from a Focus Group Moderator.......2006-07-26
If you're looking for practical information that you can apply quickly, I suggest picking up this book. You'll flip through it time and again. As the owner of www.MyFocusGroupModerator.com, I see a lot of poorly written material. Krueger has done a good job in making this guide immediately impactful to the reader.
Helpful guide to focus groups.......2005-09-20
Kreuger and Casey's book provided helpful information for conducting focus groups to novice practioners. From room arrangement to recruitment, the guide covered all the basics.
Focus groups.......2002-02-25
This was a wonderful guide for conducting focus groups for beginners. The book is easy to read and understand. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in conducting focus group research.
User friendly - not research friendly.......2000-09-20
This book contains a great deal of information about conducting focus groups and is very easy to use; however, the format is far too simplistic. Focus groups are a research technique; this book takes the approach of "so easy even a child could do it." Although it is filled with information and guidelines about appropriate techniques and uses for data, the lighthearted format undermines the serious nature of data collection and analysis. The second edition was much better as a comprehensive guide to focus groups that maintained some research integrity.
Incidentally, I suspect that Paladin Red actually reviewed the second edition. The third edition does not contain appendices after each chapter - another unfortunate loss from the earlier edition.
A superb research guide!.......2000-06-21
Krueger's book on focus groups has been by far the most useful guide in terms of the step-by-step approach used. Everything from concise budgeting techniques to handling those "difficult" participants are outlined neatly and in a straight-forward fashion. The appendices after each chapter are also really helpful especially for beginner researchers such as myself. I borrowed this book from the library for a summer marketing research job and it was all I needed for the focus group portion. Recommended to me by my marketing prof, I in turn highly recommend it!
Product Description
The ability to save lives in war, conflicts, and humanitarian interventions requires sophisticated skills above and beyond first aid. Todays Combat Medic must be an expert in emergency care, force health protection, limited primary care, and warrior skills. The Combat Medic Field Reference provides easy access to essential information on triage, treatment, and US Army procedures. This handy pocket-sized reference features waterproof pages for making temporary or permanent notes.
Customer Reviews:
Full of valuable information.......2007-03-14
Purchased for my husband... He said it is full of valuable information, a must have for any combat medic's library.
Combat Medic Field Reference.......2007-01-18
Well laid out. Has the information a 68W or other service medics/corpsmen will need after he/she leaves school. I wish I'd had this for my medics while I was in Iraq. Good reviews of trauma care and also a great section on sickcall complaints and basic treatments. Casey did a great job of putting this all together.
Perfect for the new Corpsman or medic.......2006-12-27
I cannot recommend this enough as the 1st book any junior Corpsman/medic purchase. The material is well written and easy to understand. I have spent 7+ years with Marine infantry battalions and have to say this is the best reference out there for the new guy. A good book.
Outstanding reference for todays combat medic. .......2006-03-11
I have always looked for a all inclusive reference and now i have found it in this book it is extremely up to date and very relavant and you can tell it was written for medics by medics
A very informative book.......2005-11-15
I just got the book this past week, but so far I'm impressed with it. It's small enough to place in a ALICE type back pack( and in your BDU trouser pockets). The water-proof pages is of course a plus to have in the field.
Hoo-ah!
Book Description
Find inspiration and guidance for dealing with the challenges and new experiences of recovery in the writings from a woman who cares about others. This beloved author writes about self-esteem, friendships with other women, hope, attitudes about life and relationships, and more. Her words help bridge the gap between self and Higher Power, between loneliness and sharing the emotions of recovery. Almost three million recovering women turn to these meditations each day.
Customer Reviews:
Great Delivery!!!!.......2007-09-21
I have been looking for this book for 2 years. I had one that is 17 years old. I was very surprised to fine one that was nice and new. I purchased and then bam, it was here by mail.
Thanks so much,.
Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women.......2007-06-10
This is a good book for someone in alcohol recovery. I am a non-drinker and didn't like the references to "see your sponsor, etc." I recommend it for someone trying to go straight.
The Key to Life.......2006-08-17
I don't think we as human beings actually recognize the power of daily reading, meditation, and reflecting. Practicing these powerful principles allows us to remain mindful of the moment and reflect upon the deeper question in our lives. To devote ourself to a daily meditation and to journal on these quiet times is priceless and will certainly aid in the evolution of our soul. For me this practice has allowed an awakening to take place and opens my life up to all the opportunities that are available in this universe. Please give this practice a try! This book will help you in your journey of living and cultivating an active consciousness in your daily life.
Richard A. Singer Jr. Author Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds of the Past and Present.
Inspirational.......2006-03-09
I love this book! It gives me daily inspiration and a positive attitude to start my day.
Hail to the Power of Women.......2003-12-30
One of my best friends recommended this book to me last winter. She said she carried hers everywhere she went even when she traveled. It brought her peace especially after the death of her mother. It is a wonderful book for women. Each day (it's a daily reflection) offers an inspiring quote, a powerful meditation and an encouraging affirmation. The book reflects the individuality and spirituality of women and the importance of their self esteem. It's funny to me that the right words always seem to appear on the page just when I need to read them for that extra boost.
Book Description
The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert
Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.
More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to:
- Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase
- Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat
- Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine
- Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim
- Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops
Customer Reviews:
Buy it!.......2007-09-26
Don Casey (as usual) has written a definitive book on maintenance for my aging boat and most important to me, tips to help me shop for my next sailboat. Well organized, illustrated and written, the only negative thing I can say about the book is, that it scared me to learn how much important info I didn't know (ignorance was bliss!) Well worth the full retail price, an even better value when purchased online.
Very Handy Book.......2007-09-17
I got this book based on previous reviews, and because my husband and I just bought a 40 year old sailboat that is in good shape but needs some restoration, and we know very little about restoring a boat. My husband is a very handy guy, and always needs a project to be working on (eg. a old boat). First thing he did was open the book, flip through it, and declare it a waste of money because he could have figured all of this stuff out on his own! Now, after actually READING parts of it, he has to have it next to the boat at all times and calls it his Boat Bible. Before doing anything he consults this book first. To date we have just started renovating the boat, but I am sure this book will be well used by the end of the project.
Compilation of books.......2007-09-12
Beware when you buy Don Casey-books. If you are not careful, you end up with buying the same books twice. This book is a compilation of 6 books by Don Casey that has previously been published separately.
Don Casey is easy to read, but at the same time he is never shallow. There are plenty of illustrations. Here you get a lot of information. It is written for sailboats, but I think every boat-owner should have a copy.
No better book for a sailboat owner.......2007-09-10
I own a 30 foot sailboat that is just about 30 years old. Although my boat is in overall good condition, there are always things to touch up and fix.
I am extremely happy with this book and refers to it constantly before attemtption a new task. A few of the things I have used the book for:
- Refinishing interior wood
- Maintaining the engine (oil changes, valve settings, shaft alinghtment)
- Maintaining topsides (gelcoat repairs, general maintenance and upkeep, re-sealing deck hardware)
- Electrical work, troubleshooting stray currents and partial re-wiring
- Maintaining and fixing the head
- Canvas work is next. :-)
I am amazed at Don Casey's huge knowledge on sailboat maintenance and repair. I do not think there is a better or more copmlete book on the subject of sailboat maintenance.
I highly recommend this book for all sailboat owners. I can also reconmmend it as a gift.
Fair winds to you!
I wish I had read this 'before' I bought my boat :).......2007-08-06
As a relative new comer to sailing and the owner of an older boat this has been great for getting me going in the right direction. I think another more complex version would be nice but this answered alot of my questions.
Book Description
The Rant Limited Edition
is specially packaged in a one-piece preprinted case, printed black, with the title created in spot gloss; a 4-color slipcase that matches the original jacket of the trade book; a 1/8" ribbon marker; a signed tip-in sheet, speckled edges; and an exclusive 1300-word "Automotive Afterword" entitled "Recipes for Disasters" which is not available in print anywhere but only in this limited edition.
“Like most people I didn’t meet Rant Casey until after he was dead. That’s how it works for most celebrities: After they croak, their circle of friends just explodes…”
Rant is the mind-bending new novel from Chuck Palahniuk, the literary provocateur responsible for such books as the generation-defining classic Fight Club and the pedal-to-the-metal horrorfest Haunted. It takes the form of an oral history of one Buster “Rant” Casey, who may or may not be the most efficient serial killer of our time.
“What ‘Typhoid Mary’ Mallon was to typhoid, what Gaetan Dugas was to AIDS, and Liu Jian Lun was to SARS, Buster Casey would become for rabies.”
A high-school rebel who always wins (and a childhood murderer?), Rant Casey escapes from his small hometown of Middleton for the big city. He becomes the leader of an urban demolition derby called Party Crashing. On appointed nights participants recognize each other by such designated car markings as “Just Married” toothpaste graffiti and then stalk and crash into each other. Rant Casey will die a spectacular highway death after which his friends gather testimony needed to build an oral history of his short, violent life. Their collected anecdotes explore the possibility that his saliva caused a silent urban plague of rabies and that he found a way to escape the prison house of linear time…
“The future you have, tomorrow, won’t be the same future you had, yesterday.”
–Rant Casey
Expect hilarity, horror, and blazing insight into the desperate and surreal contemporary human condition as only Chuck Palahniuk can deliver it. He's the postmillennial Jonathan Swift, the visionary to watch to learn what's–uh-oh–coming next.
Customer Reviews:
A Beautiful Addition to Your Palahniuk Library.......2007-07-06
I'm going to assume that you've already read and/or own the regular edition of RANT. The printing job on this special edition is phenomenal--the pages are very tight and crisp, and the cover is gorgeous. Every copy is signed by Chuck Palahniuk, and includes a special "afterward" available exclusively in this edition. No, it's not a cheap edition--but get your pennies together, because it's worth every one of 'em.
Book Description
With more than sixty confirmed kills, Jack Coughlin is the Marine Corps' top-ranked sniper. Shooteris his harrowing first-person account of a sniper's life on and off the modern battlefield G unnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin is a divorced father of two with an Ivy League background who grew up in the wealthy Boston suburb of Waltham. He had thirty-six kills in Iraq- thirteen in a twenty-four hour period during Operation Iraqi Freedom-and has one of the most successful records of any sniper on active duty.Now, after twenty years behind the scope of a long-range precision rifle, Coughlin has written a highly personal story about his deadly craft, taking readers deep inside an invisible society that is off-limits to outsiders. This is not a heroic battlefield memoir, but the careful study of an exceptional man who must keep his sanity while carrying forward one of the deadliest legacies in the U.S. military today.
Customer Reviews:
.....wow...........2007-08-10
Shortly into the story it becomes pretty evident that this wasn't the "confession" of an honored and admirable soldier. This is not a warrior who wanted to share his story with the world to ease the burden of killing men who were fighting for their beliefs, even if those beliefs where not the same as his.
Jack was a soldier and sniper who saw "the dumbest man in all of Iraq" in the first day of battle. The Iraqi fighter was not dumb to Jack because he watched him do something truly stupid, like load bullets into his AK47 backwards. This fighter was "the dumbest man in Iraq" because he was 1/2 mile away and felt secure and concealed enough behind a thick bush to attack from that position (remember that these soldiers are fighting based on experience and not from years of hardcore training like our Marines). Jack took this son/grandson/cousin/fathers/brother/friends/Iraqi soldier's life from his family. I honestly believe that the Iraqi fighter should have been killed because he was attacking our countrymen. However, I would respect Jack a little more if he treated a man that was so destitute in his beliefs he was brave enough to attack an entire force of American soldier, with a little more grace and respect. Instead, Jack takes credit for his cold bore 1000 meter (hahaha...oh but his rifle was already zeroed into the EXACT, no kidding he says it in the book, distance of the target haha) shot that saved an ENTIRE BATTALIONS MAIN COMMUNICATIONS HUBS from the ONE GUY ONLY PACKING AN AK47.
Sorry for the brief ramble, but this book is filled with complete ego. I am ex-military and have been hunting and shooting for 17 of my 25 years on this earth and I have more respect for the deer/elk/beer/mtn. lions that I harvest than Jack has for the soldiers he has killed in battle. Through the book I was trying to tell myself that a sniper has to have an inflated confidence in themselves, but this was ridiculous!
By the time I finished I thought of Jack as a supply and backline soldier who wanted to try to convince SOMEONE that he was good at his job as a sniper because he couldn't convince the Marines. It seemed that he killed not only because it was his job, but because he enjoyed it as well.
~Cam
Top Ranked Marine Sniper.......2007-08-05
Very realistic and updated perspective of what a modern day sniper might face in battle !!!!I have previously read the encounters of snipers in Vietnam.....and that was most interesting also ,but this book is the most recently published technology and tactics !!!
Coughlin.......2007-07-06
I didn't read this book yet but I knew Jack back in the day when I referred to him as a Sh** Bird. He actually was a good Marine as were most of us. If this book is anything like the Coughlin I knew back in the 80s, then I am sure it will be quite a read. Semper Fi.
RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "SUPERSTAR OF SNIPERS!".......2007-07-04
I would first, like to make a point about the title, that I picked for my review. Some people, might possibly find it offensive. But if you were watching a motion picture, or a TV program, that had Jack as one of the main characters, and his comrades referred to him in that exalted way, you would take it in stride. Imagine Jack, as the young sniper in "Saving Private Ryan". With that being said, let's continue with the review. I felt this was an excellent book, and one of the things that appealed to me, as a U.S. Veteran, is that Jack and his co-writers, wrote in the "language", that is truly spoken between men, not only in war, but in training for war. Another thing that I really liked, was the fact, that as bad as Jack wanted to be a sniper, he then had even higher goals. He had the desire, to not just be the best sniper, but he had the drive and vision, to try to improve the entire operating procedure of snipers. The battlefield, was not the same as in World War II. A couple of earlier Marine marksmen, Hathcock and Mawhinney, showed in Viet Nam, "that snipers could be much more aggressive and effective by getting out of their holes and going on the hunt." I know what Jack meant, when he describes the anguish, of not only keeping classified missions to yourself, but also, dealing with the uncontrollable memories of death you've created, that reverberate in your dreams, that you can't discuss with anyone, including your wife. Jack says: "If I awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, with a start so violent, that it shook the bed, Kim knew not to question why or what was going on in my head. She was careful not to startle me with a sudden touch." This passage, sent chills up and down my spine, since in my own life, twenty years after I was out of the service, I was a single father, who always wanted my young son to wake me, before he left for school, and give me a kiss. He got scared, at the way I would wake up, swinging and yelling, about things I never told anyone. We then used a procedure, where he would come into my bedroom, tap my shoulder, and then run to the doorway, and after I got back to normal, I would give him a hug and kiss goodbye. I would like to give one last comparison of Jack's stature, especially, for the benefit of people that weren't in the military. I was awarded the "Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, (SAEMR) with an M-16. Comparing that, to what Jack did, is like you comparing your two-year-old son's, hitting a wiffle ball, off a plastic tee, to the accomplishments of Babe Ruth. There are three things I'm happy for, after reading this book: 1) That Jack was on our side. 2) That Jack got home alive. 3) That Jack and his cohorts wrote this book. God Bless America!
P.S. The 2007 movie with the same name, has absolutely nothing to do with this book.
I would have given zero stars if that was an option.......2007-05-19
Reading all the praise below, I had to double check to make sure I was reviewing the correct book. As an avid reader of military non-fiction, I found this to be among the worst I have read. Coughlin takes great pains to declare that he took no joy in his job, yet the book is peppered with with cliche'd macho phrases and terms, like "smoke-check" (used over and OVER again) and "invincible gunslinger persona". I actually laughed out loud a few times at the ridiculous ways that Coughlin refers to himself. The relentless back-talking to superior officers is also a pretty hackneyed feature of this work. And then there is the story, which is really just a loosely assembled account of some events that happened during the initial push to Baghdad. The author's poor command of prose couldn't even make that interesting in and of itself. By the end of the book I suspected that the author was really trying to convince himself, not the reader, that he wasn't getting off on every kill he logged. If you like reading arrogant, self-praising accounts that make use of every military cliche' ever penned, look no further. If you appreciate writing quality, humility, interesting content, and a believable author, seek elsewhere.
Book Description
Let's say you're a typical low-paid working stiff. You've sailed small boats all your life, you've saved a little money--you're finally ready for a real cruising boat. You drop in on Tadd, your friendly neighborhood yacht broker, who is more than happy to sell you that brand-new Trickledown 32 for only $90,000, plus a few optional extras like anchors, sails, cushions, a compass, instruments--stuff like that; say, $115,000 ready to sail.
"One hundred and fifteen thousand . . . dollars?"
"Not to worry," says Tadd. "Only 20% down and 10 years of easy payments and you're off into the sunset. Let's see, that's $23,000 down and, at 10% interest, only $1,215.79 per month--plus insurance of course. Send me a postcard from Tahiti."
"How much per month? That's half my salary! Don't you have anything in my price range?"
Tadd glances conspicuously at his Rolex, sighing, and points to a characterless Clorox jog with a spindly mast--a hyperthyroid daysailer with bunks for the seven dwarfs; NOT what you had in mind!
And then you see it, in the back of the yard, varnish hanging in strips off weather-beaten trim, rigging frayed, sails ripped and stained, dank interior with dangling wires and scurrying anonymous inhabitants. But underneath all the squalor you see the lines of a real cruising boat--a sturdy hull with a sprightly sheer from the pen of a Philip Rhodes or a Tom Gillmer--a fiberglass boat built back when craftsmanship still meant something.
You remember when you bought your house--it looked a lot like this boat, and you and your all-thumbs husband managed to breathe life into it over time, painting, papering, spackling--lots of spackling. This boat has possibilities.
"How much?" you ask.
"You're kidding, right?" says Tadd, flicking a bit of cobweb from his spotless Breton Reds. "Take it for, say, $8,000?"
Sold.
Well, now you've got it home, but Bob and Norm aren't there every weekend to help guide you through this restoration. Where to turn?
Turn to This Old Boat. Don Casey, co-author of Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach, assumes you know nothing--not even how to use tools--and leads you methodically and good-naturedly through every step of turning a cast-off fiberglass boat into a real show-stopper, including the simplest and most comlete explanation yet of sailmaking--the sailor's darkest and most expensive art. Casey's step-by-step drawings guide you through a simple project--laying up a fiberglass instrument case, for example--then show you how to apply those skills to something more ambitious--like building a new hatch.
With this book and the best buyer's market in boating history, you can send Tadd that postcard from Tahiti--and have money to spare.
Can't afford that brand-new boat?
Take advantage of the best buyer's market in boating history. Turn a rundown production boat into a first-class yacht with This Old Boat.
Whether you are skilled or unskilled, whether you like sail or powerboats, here is everything you need to:
- Find the right boat at the right price
- Map out a logical, affordable renovation plan
- Work with fiberglass--everything from minor cosmetics to major structural repairs
- Renovate rigging, winches, engines, and other mechanical systems
- Work with wood, canvas, and plastic
- Change the interior from a cramped, dingy dormitory to a light, spacious livable home
- Repair and modernize the electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration systems
- Add a stunning, mirror-like finish
- Make your own dodgers, sail covers, and SAILS--and much more!
"Casey's intelligent, practical advice covers just about everything, and his style is just what the doctor ordered for anyone daft enough to want to fix up an old boat."--Southern Boating
"A great book for anyone on the water."--Maine Coastal News
Customer Reviews:
This Old Boat.......2006-07-22
Covers everything from dings to diesels. A must read for apprentice boatsmiths. This reading gives you the confidence and knowledge to fix up & repair most every defect in your used boat.
Before you buy that old boat - READ THIS BOOK!.......2006-04-02
This book is entertaining to read and really is an eye opener as to what you're getting yourself into re wooden boats. Really is a prmer on the topic or Wooden Boats 101 - when you are done reading it you'll know your up to the task or not.
Absolutely a MUST for your boat -- you need this book........2005-07-14
You're familiar of course with the numerous lists of necessary books to have aboard your boat. Boat Owner's comes to mind by Nigel Calder as one. HOWEVER, I believe you will find more useful information within the 408 pages. Also, it's book size (won't be a pain to store aboard) will be welcome.
The boring stuff (he tells you how to prioritize) -- some may need to hear/see safety first, and structure/bilge pumps et al. I could understand the reasoning but it wasn't real useful to me. His organizational check-lists will help folks actually plan chronology and FINISH the jobs.
The best part though was the step by step, well-illustrated how-to's. Everything I could want/need to know was covered, including how to read my electric meter, how much insulation the refrigerator needs, how much heat loss to expect in various sized boxes, how to plan for power needs, and a logic as to what we really need/can use/and WILL WORK aboard.
It's not a be-all/end-all book but it's very very good and well worth space aboard. You'll still need your shop books (for your engine, head, pumps, etc.) but with this gem you'll understand the why as well as the how to do repairs.
Even canvas repair is covered. Don't tell anyone, but it's not genius material. You can do it yourself and save big bucks. Mostly though, it's a book of instructions for repairs/improvements and "gosh, that'd be nice" type of things. If you don't know already, you'll learn step-by-step how to Fiberglas, how to make sails, how to fix wiring, WHEN TO HIRE EXPERTS, and more.
Even at retail price $35, it's well worth it, though of course I'd suggest saving $$ and buying used.
Not complete.......2001-05-26
I found that the book lacked certain basic information. for example: when restoring an old boat, one must typically contend with transporting the boat (perhaps mention of trailer, and cradle designs), or de-masting and storage, removing the multi-layers of antifoulant paint, correct the grazing of the gelcoat. For the interiour, one may decide to substitute teak for mahogany, white oak, etc, but there is no mention of altenate woods for cabinetry and interior work. For the deck anti-skid, how can you mold parts of the missing anti-skid, if you dont want to use threadmaster M. I just found the book a little bit less than basic.
I wish there were 10 stars! It should be on everyones shelf........2001-02-05
I don't know where to begin thanking Casey and recommending him at the same time. A feeble attempt follows:
This is the MOST valuable of my 80 or 90 boatbuilding books, hands-down. It doesn't matter what construction material you are using, or what your level of expertise. At the very least, it is a fun, witty, and motivating book. Even if you come out of it with no more knowledge than when you started (I guarantee that will not happen), it will give you the necessary wisdom and motivation to stay the course. It was the first 'boat building' book I ever purchased, and it alone motivated me to stop dreaming about a boat, and to start building/rebuilding one. And it was to this book I turned whenever a project was frustrating (this is almost daily, for the uninitiated--and he explains this, too). It was also the book I used as a primary reference, and it served me very well in the rebuilding of two medium-sized boats. It has since served me equally well in the building of boats from plans, though you will need more than he offers for this (that does not mean instead of this, but in addition to his book, another will be necessary).
Whether you are going to build a boat from scratch, or you are going to refurbish an older boat (he makes a hard sell), this book MUST be read. If you have only one book on your shelf pertaining to the construction/reconstruction/maintenance, this should be it. You will never forget it, and you will recommend it to others as strongly as I am to you. Your boat will feel naked without it.
Book Description
A fiberglass hull's seamless nature leads many boatowners to conclude that repair must be difficult. Wrong. Here, clearly and abundantly illustrated, is all you need to know to seal joints, bed hardware, replace portlights, locate leaks, fix cracks and even holes, restore your hull's gloss, renew nonskid decks, and much more. You'll wonder what you were worried about.
Customer Reviews:
Just the facts.......2006-08-13
Style wise, this is the opposite of The Sailmaker's Apprentice by Marino. This is not a book to pick up while sitting by the fire sipping tea. It is a great reference book with concise "how to" information. I have a friend who told me that there is nothing beyand repair on a fiberglass boat. After reading this book, I'm beginning to belive him. Good explanations of both materials and techniques - including safety.
Go ahead and get the grinder!.......2006-07-20
A sweet book that gave me the confidence to 'go for it' and tackle some ugly holes in my dinghy hull. What's more it was not that bad after all! It's all here, from finishing the gelcoat scrapes/cracks to repairing gaping holes- you may want to buy in conjunction with 'sailboat refinishing' to help with that final effort. Fully recommended!
Good advice.......2006-07-14
This book covers the basic as well as some advanced topics about repairing all types of fiberglass hulls, decks, through hull fittings, teak wood, and other related topics. I recommend the book for the beginner who needs basic information about fiberglass repair.
2nd best book on Fiberglass repairs, and not just for sailboats.......2006-03-08
While I actually like "Fiberglass Repair: Polyester or Epoxy" by David and Zora Aiken a touch better than this book, they are both strong. They both have lots of clear ILLUSTRATIONS, which to my mind are preferable to photos at depicting this sort of information.
Blister repair (not addressed at all in older books on fiberglass repeair), wet deck cores, gelcoat cosmetics are all covered, as well as a good discussion of when to use Epoxy resins versus the cheaper Polyesters. I recommend this book for owners of ALL fiberglass boats, as the construction and repairs are quite universal.
The relatively large format of this book helps the clarity of the drawings, and makes it possible to imagine using it like a cookbook, propped open on the workbench as you step through the steps.
Excellent coverage of fiberglass repairs.......2001-10-04
Covers all the areas I needed. Soft & rotten cores, broken fiberglass, chipping, etc. I liked it so much I just ordered his book on refinishing.
Book Description
A Woman's Spirit is a collection of wise, compassionate daily meditations for women now living a sober life and seeking spiritual fulfillment. Topics include facing challenges, having faith in a Higher Power, taking responsibility, and more.
Customer Reviews:
A Woman's Spirit.......2007-01-07
Out of all the mediatation material I have used I find this is the most focused on taking care of the inner child in me. That child caused me to run in fear and procrastinate on taking care of what I need to do for me. This mediatation guide has empowered me to take better care of me on a daily basis. This is very wonderful. I ordered several to give as gifts.
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